


Battle in the Sky

by disillusionist9



Series: Choose Dare [57]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Marauders' Era, Quidditch, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 10:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7931956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/disillusionist9/pseuds/disillusionist9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabble #58 of 100 | James watches the Slytherin Quidditch matches closely...to make sure their Seeker doesn't get the one up on his team, of course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Battle in the Sky

"And it's Potter with the Quaffle; his arm certainly healed well after his last Quidditch match against Hufflepuff. We all remember? When his arm got in the way of that bludger? Anyway, he's on his way down the pitch now, if these Slytherin Chasers don't start playing some defense. He's got a good headwind and...what's that?

"Black's diving! The vulture - sorry, Professor - the Seeker's been up above the stands all game for those paying attention. If he catches that snitch before Potter that's game and Slytherin wins! Black's awfully close to the ground, and the Gryffindor Seeker's caught on."

James pushed his broom for all its worth towards the goal posts, wind whipping around his goggles and whistling in his ears. The robes on his back fluttered in the wind, and he cursed the drag caused by the cross wind, his shoulders straining. He could hear every word Fabian announced since the day was swelteringly hot, so there was no wind disturbance, and the birds were hiding in the Forest instead of fluttering curiously around the pitch. The last game of the season, his last of his sixth year, was postponed out to the end of May after half the school came down with a very late bout of the flu.

One of the Chasers spun up beneath him, a corkscrew move he'd watched with Omnioculars from the tower one evening. Remus shook his head and returned to reading each time he saw his friend crouched on a windowsill with the bronze glasses pressed firmly to his face.

His werewolf hadn't caught on he only watched the Slytherin's practices.

"A daring move by Davis, coming up underneath Potter on his fight to the goalposts! Black is still chasing the Snitch with Kelpie not far behind. This match could decide the House Cup!"

His right arm was still very sore from his last injury, and his left wasn't as adept at scoring goals, so James had to push himself much closer than normal to the posts at the end of the pitch. Slytherin's Keeper, Evan Rosier, perched on his broom with both arms outstretched, puffing himself up like a predatory bird. A hot wind caught the curved wall of the stands below, blowing beneath the collection of players around the goals, and causing James' already dry lips to crack.

Closer...closer...

James ignored the screaming in the stands and the call of the commentary, blocking it all as he dove smoothly beneath the last opposing Chaser, digging his fingertips into the Quaffle as much as he could. With a firm purchase, he curved the red ball towards the goal closest to Rosier's head, a daring move he rarely brought out, but as the Quaffle grazed his rival's ear and sailed into the open space, a gong of another ten points echoed through the stadium. Like the volume on Sirius's wireless, the sound came blaring back as swiftly as it had disappeared.

"Regulus Black has caught the Snitch! The game is a tie, Slytherin two hundred thirty and Gryffindor two hundred thirty! This sort of cock-up could only happen between these two teams, I'd right like to see-"

No one found out what Fabian wanted to see, as Madame Hooch wrestled the microphone from his hands while perched on her broom. Several players and students near the announcer's box were treated to Professor McGonagall rapping him smartly over the head for his foul language.

James resisted rubbing his injured forearm as the rules for the tie-break were explained: with a score over two hundred, each team's first Chaser, chosen by the entire team, had the chance to score five goals. If each Chaser succeeded in getting the Quaffle past the Keeper, then they'd move onto the next phase.

Fletcher Spinnet, the Gryffindor Keeper and Captain flew straight for James. "Your arm, Potter, can you throw? You're our best and you know they'll tag Lestrange to throw the next set."

Adjusting his goggles, James flexed his gloved fingers, growing sticky beneath the leather in the heat. Swallowing thickly, James nodded, and thanked whatever stars were listening he hadn't used his right hand the whole game, so he was fresh to throw these last five. When James looked down at the contrast of the brown of his glove to the Quaffle in his hand, he breathed in once, letting it go after a few seconds.

Tucking his feet on top of his broom so he held it in a crossed-leg cradle, he kept his eyes trained to the goal post and pirouetted to give his arm as much pure momentum as possible, when he stuttered to an almost halt, not stopping the Quaffle from leaving his fingers in time.

Silver eyes, not green, met him squarely and caught the ball with the ease of a second year.

How had he not noticed the switch?

Each team was allowed to place their best Chaser and Keeper at the goals for this tie-breaker, and Regulus stared him down defiantly from the Keeper position though he'd just caught the Snitch. James cleared his throat and felt that twist in his stomach he was having a harder time interpreting between nerves, excitement, jealousy...or something he was not ready to admit yet. Regulus was their best Seeker, but without a Snitch included in these proceedings, his Keeping skills and unbound black hair would pose more of a threat to James than Rosier.

Rosier didn't look at him like that...with hunger and determination. No one looked at him like that.

He's Sirius's little brother. And I like Evans, right? Get it together, Potter!

He thought the last bit was shouted in his head, but it rose from the stands below them from some faceless boy.

Gathering his wits, as best he could, James launched another four throws, landing all but one. Regulus looked furious as he missed the other three, and James stopped breathing when he turned to pin him with a stare. Rapacious and domineering, Regulus tacked him in place as surely as a collecter of rare and beautiful insects.

Neither heeded the battle at the other end of the pitch as the Gryffindor Keeper clinched the victory, blocking all goals but one from the Slytherin Chaser. James landed with his team, buried under a pile of joyous bodies, the heat growing stifling, but he could still feel the white-hot poker from a calculating set of silver eyes.


End file.
